Jim Moore: Seahawks will continue downward trend in 2015

By JIM MOORE, SPECIAL TO SEATTLEPI.COM

Updated 12:07 pm, Friday, September 11, 2015

Image 1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) walks off the field after throwing an interception to New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler during the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David Goldman) less

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) walks off the field after throwing an interception to New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler during the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football ... more

Jim Moore: Seahawks will continue downward trend in 2015

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

Two years ago the Seahawks went 13-3 and went on to win the NFC West and the Super Bowl. Last year they went 12-4, won the NFC West and lost in the Super Bowl.

This year they will continue the downward trend – the Seahawks will finish 10-6 and not win the NFC West. They will be a wild-card team that loses its first playoff game.

The best news? Columnists, specifically this one, are always wrong with their predictions. As an example, I thought the Mariners would win 100 games this year. As a more recent example, I predicted the Cougars would beat Portland State 52-10 last Saturday and they lost 24-17.

I know, you've got reasons why the Seahawks will win 12 or 13 games and make their third straight appearance in the Super Bowl. Those reasons include Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham and a front seven on defense that could be the best in the NFL.

Their schedule: It's tough in the best of circumstances. Opening against St. Louis and Green Bay on the road, they could play well and still come home at 0-2. They face the NFC North, which includes games against Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati. They also have road games against Dallas and supposedly rejuvenated Minnesota.

Weaker offensive line: Later this season, maybe it will be one of the most athletic and productive lines in the Pete Carroll era. But right now, I'm not buying that it will be effective early. How can it be? Drew Nowak has not started a game in his three years in the NFL, and all of a sudden we're supposed to expect him to seamlessly replace Max Unger at center?

And Garry Gilliam at right tackle? Boom, just like that, he's going to be good to go in his first start at that position?

What about Justin Britt? Apparently he wasn't considered to be good enough to remain at right tackle even though he was the right tackle on a team that made it to the Super Bowl last year. So he was switched to left guard, a position he hasn't played since his freshman year at Missouri. Good luck with that.

I'm with everyone else when it comes to praising offensive-line coach Tom Cable, but come on, he's not so fantastic that he's going to turn this transformed group into a finely tuned unit right away.

When Lynch is in Beast Mode, he doesn't need much room to run. But still, I'd like to him get more room – yes, he's a special back, maybe even a future Hall of Famer, but with all of the abuse he's taken and dished out himself, Lynch is an old 29. There will come a time when he's the one who's getting pushed back instead of pushing forward like he does most of the time now. Plus his backup, Fred Jackson, is 34.

Then there's Wilson, who enters his fourth year. It should be his best to date, but will he get enough time to throw to Jimmy Graham? I love watching him improvise, but at some point, his luck will run out when it comes to avoiding injuries. Truth be known, that also factored into the 10-6 prediction, worrying about the ramifications of Wilson getting hurt. Hopefully it won't happen but if it does, and depending on the point in the season, 10-6 could be a reach with Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback.

Weaker Legion of Boom: First off, can you still call them the Legion of Boom when you only have two of its original members, Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas? And especially when the Boom in the Legion of Boom is missing in Kam Chancellor?

Aside from that, Seattle's secondary figures to be above average, but closer to ordinary than it's ever been. Cary Williams, Byron Maxwell's replacement at right cornerback, must be fairly good if the Seahawks are paying him $6 million a year. But I've heard mixed reports about him in the preseason. Whatever the case, however slight, it's a downgrade from Maxwell.

Chancellor's replacement at strong safety, Dion Bailey, will be fun to watch and root for, but he's basically a rookie. I'm also concerned that Earl Thomas, coming off offseason shoulder surgery, will have early season rust, and the nickel-back position won't be as solid with Marcus Burley replacing the injured Jeremy Lane.

The Kam intangible: I don't know how much of a distraction Chancellor's holdout will be, but it must be a factor on the field and in the locker room. The Seahawks have many other leaders, but teammates thought so much of Chancellor last year, they voted him defensive captain.

Will there be resentment when he returns, particularly if the Seahawks struggle because of his absence? And what if he gets contract concessions, will it disgruntle other players such as Michael Bennett who feel like they're underpaid too? It's fair to wonder about locker-room chemistry, though I could be way off-base about that.

I'm curious to see how the Chancellor holdout plays out. At some point this season it will end, as will the Seahawks' dominance in the NFC West.

The Go 2 Guy also writes for 710Sports.com and KitsapSun.com. You can reach Jim at jimmoorethego2guy@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @cougsgo. He appears weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. on "Danny, Dave and Moore" on 710 ESPN Seattle.